NEWSJelly Roll Fires Back After Jesse Watters Claims He's Taking Ozempic: 'I Did It Through Diet and Exercise'
Jelly Roll responded to Jesse Watters’ Ozempic comments, explaining how he lost more than 200 pounds.
Aug. 28 2026, Updated 8:03 a.m. ET
Jelly Roll is setting the record straight after Jesse Watters suggested the country star has been using Ozempic to lose weight.
The 41-year-old singer, whose real name is Jason DeFord, has been filling in for Jimmy Kimmel this week as the guest host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. During his opening monologue on Wednesday, August 26, Jelly Roll played a clip from the Fox News host’s “Trump Derangement Syndrome Tuesday” segment.
Jelly Roll denied using Ozempic after Fox News host Jesse Watters suggested he had taken the medication.
“Next up to bat, Jelly Roll,” Watters said. “They should put a warning label on Ozempic. Side effects can include increased risk of TDS. If you notice signs like irritability, depression, and trouble sleeping, please see a doctor.”
‘Ozempic is The Only Drug I Haven’t Tried’
Jelly Roll said he lost weight through diet and exercise rather than GLP-1 medications.
The “Need a Favor” hitmaker didn't let the comment slide. Instead, he used the moment to joke about his weight-loss journey.
“Okay, first of all Jesse, I’ll have you know Ozempic is the only drug I haven’t tried. I know it sounds unbelievable, but I lost weight the old-fashioned way: cocaine,” he joked. “No seriously, I got in shape before the GLP-1 craze started. And I’m kind of proud of the fact that I did it through diet and exercise.”
The “All My Life” singer then poked fun at himself for losing weight before the popularity of GLP-1 medications exploded.
“But I also kinda feel like a dude who bought the last horse and buggy the day before they started selling cars,” he quipped.
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Jelly Roll Says He Lost More Than 200 Pounds
Jelly Roll has reportedly lost more than 200 pounds during his weight-loss journey.
As OK! previously reported, Jelly Roll has repeatedly said he did not use weight-loss medication during his transformation. The singer has reportedly lost more than 200 pounds through changes to his diet and exercise routine.
Still, he has admitted that the idea of taking Ozempic crossed his mind before he ultimately decided against it.
“I just was afraid of it ...” he said on Bunnie XO's "Dumb Blonde" podcast in December 2025. “As a singer, few things scare me more than acid reflux. Like, you'll watch me get up out of a bed, I'll burp and wake up panicked and go take something for it. You know? Because that stuff will just rip the vocal cords.”
Jelly Roll Has More Goals
Jelly Roll said concerns about acid reflux and its potential effect on his vocal cords made him hesitant about Ozempic.
Despite his dramatic transformation, Jelly Roll has said he still had more work he wanted to do, as he previously explained that he remained some distance from his personal goal.
“I'm afraid to see what the scale's going to say from what my actual goal is,” he explained via YouTube. “I want to get these last 40 or 50 pounds off and then I eventually want to cut my skin and I eventually want to be on the cover of something crazy like GQ or Rolling Stone.”
His progress also hit a setback after he broke his collarbone shortly before Christmas 2025.
“That set me down where I had to quit running, quit walking, quit exercising for an extended period of time,” he added. “I said all that to say that I have, to some degree, lost my way.”
